Venom: The Last Dance
Venom: The Last Dance is a 2024 American superhero film and the third installment in Sony's Venom trilogy, starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock and the alien symbiote, Venom. In this final chapter, Eddie and Venom find themselves on the run from both human military forces and extraterrestrial threats, including the Xenophage and Knull, the symbiote creator, who seeks to reclaim Venom's codex. The film combines action, science fiction, and buddy-comedy elements as the duo navigates their perilous journey. It maintains the franchise's characteristic wacky tone and focuses on the complex, co-dependent relationship between Eddie and Venom, culminating in a significant sacrifice. The movie is intended for a mature audience due to its intense action, violence, strong language, and themes.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe film continues the franchise's prominent queer subtext, with many critics and fans interpreting the relationship between Eddie and Venom as a queer romance. The film's creators have also acknowledged this interpretation, enhancing the intensity and frequency of these themes compared to typical superhero narratives. The dynamic between Eddie and Venom is central to the film's narrative and character development.
The second film, 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage,' featured a scene described by director Andy Serkis as Venom's 'coming-out party,' and 'The Last Dance' continues this trend, with Venom performing a dance break to ABBA's 'Dancing Queen'. Eddie and Venom refer to each other as 'Thelma and Louise,' a reference to a dynamic duo, which fans and critics interpret as an affirmation of their queer relationship. One reviewer explicitly states the film offers '100 minutes of the greatest queer romance film the genre has to offer' regarding Eddie and Venom's bond.
Violence
HighThe movie features frequent and intense action violence typical of the superhero genre, including battles between symbiotes, alien creatures, and military forces. While mostly stylized to adhere to a PG-13 rating, it includes graphic depictions of combat, injuries, and implied deaths that could be disturbing to younger viewers. The violence is a central element of the plot, driving many of the film's conflicts.
The MPAA rating includes 'intense action, violent scenes, bloody visuals'. Specific instances include Eddie and Venom using chopper blades to decapitate an alien, a commander being impaled, and Eddie himself getting stabbed. The parasitic Xenophage creatures are shown devouring characters, such as Patrick Mulligan. Venom also consumes the brains of mobsters to recharge, depicted in a brief action scene.
Profanity
HighThe film contains strong language, including frequent obscenities and specific instances of profanity using sacred names. This type of language is present throughout the film's dialogue, reflecting its PG-13 rating boundaries, and is noted by parental review sites.
The MPAA rating includes 'strong language'. Movieguide specifically details 'About 23 to 25 obscenities (including one 'f' word and several 's' words), two strong profanities using the name of Jesus, one GD profanity, and two light profanities such as OMG'. Venom himself uses strong language, such as when he tells Eddie he has a dark side 'highly likely to tear your head off and feed it to your asshole'.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe film contains numerous frightening and intense scenes, primarily due to the appearance and actions of alien creatures and the constant threat of danger. These elements are designed to create suspense and horror, with visual and thematic content that may be disturbing, particularly for younger children. The overall tone is intense, reflecting a fight for survival against powerful, grotesque entities.
The opening sequence introduces Knull in a 'hellish landscape' surrounded by 'creepy alien creatures,' delivering threats of global destruction. Venom's various transformations and the appearance of the Xenophages, the primary alien adversaries, are consistently described as 'very frightening' and 'scary' for viewers. A particularly unsettling scene involves Venom possessing a horse, transforming it into a 'scary, black version of its former self' to escape pursuit. A family also experiences a terrifying fall from a building during an alien attack, though they are ultimately saved.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThere is no explicit sexual content or nudity in the film. The primary 'romance' is the intense, co-dependent relationship between Eddie Brock and Venom, which is widely interpreted by fans and critics as a queer romantic bond. While this relationship is central, it does not involve explicit sexual acts or graphic romantic displays beyond implied intimacy and deep affection.
Movieguide confirms 'No sex; No nudity' in the film. The dynamic between Eddie and Venom is described by director Kelly Marcel as 'love lost' and akin to 'Casablanca' in terms of their deep connection and forced separation, even if not explicitly romantic. Critics and fans frequently highlight the 'toxic romcom' vibe and the evolution of Eddie and Venom's relationship into 'full-on lovers in a sitcom' as a core aspect of the franchise's appeal.
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumThe film's supernatural elements stem from its cosmic horror and alien mythology, focusing on the character of Knull, the 'King in Black' and creator of the symbiotes. This is presented as ancient, cosmic evil rather than traditional witchcraft or occult practices. There are no depictions of spellcasting, rituals, or conventional demons, but rather extraterrestrial threats with immense destructive power.
The primary antagonist, Knull, is depicted in a 'hellish landscape' and is the 'King in Black' of the symbiotes, aiming to unleash himself and end the universe. The Xenophages, described as Knull's 'hunting dogs,' are scorpion-like creatures sent to Earth to track the codex and facilitate Knull's escape. While one review makes a thematic comparison between Venom's sacrifice and 'the sacrifice Jesus made for humanity,' this is an interpretive observation rather than an indication of occult content within the film's narrative.
Substance Use
MediumThe film includes depictions of alcohol consumption, particularly in its opening scenes. Characters are shown drinking and experiencing the effects of alcohol. There is also a brief, comedic mention of a gambling addiction, but no explicit drug use or glorification of substance abuse.
In the opening scene, Eddie and Venom are shown 'drunk in a bar in Mexico,' and Eddie complains about a hangover. Venom is depicted sloppily mixing a large cocktail for Eddie, who expresses a preference for water. Later, during a visit to Las Vegas, Venom is humorously portrayed as briefly developing a 'gambling addiction'.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumDisrespect and rebellion are prominent themes, primarily through the dynamic between Eddie and Venom, who constantly bicker and challenge each other's decisions. The plot itself revolves around Eddie and Venom being fugitives, actively defying various authorities, including the military and police. This behavior is often played for comedic effect, but it underpins their anti-hero status and their journey.
The relationship between Eddie and Venom is characterized by their 'wacky, goofy energy' and frequent 'bickering,' with Venom often acting on impulses that Eddie disapproves of. In the opening scene, Venom defiantly helps Eddie mix drinks in a bar, tossing and breaking bottles, despite Eddie's visible discomfort. The central plot has Eddie and Venom 'on the run from the US army, the police' and various alien forces, demonstrating overt rebellion against established authority.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe film does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes, mockery of Christian beliefs, or sacrilegious acts as central plot points. However, it does include profanity that uses sacred names. One critical review notes a thematic comparison between Venom's ultimate sacrifice and the sacrifice of Jesus, which is an interpretive parallel rather than an anti-Christian narrative.
Movieguide reports 'two strong profanities using the name of Jesus, one GD profanity' among the film's language. A review on Medium draws a parallel between Venom's sacrifice to save the universe and 'the sacrifice Jesus made for humanity—this time, in a Marvel edition,' an observation about the narrative's redemptive arc rather than a direct anti-Christian statement or theme.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
16+ (based on the presence of intense action violence, scary alien creatures, strong language including profanity, and explicit interpretations of queer romantic themes in the central relationship, despite a PG-13 official rating. Raising Children Network recommends 16+).
Additional Notes
The film is the conclusion of a trilogy, and its tone and themes, particularly the queer subtext in Eddie and Venom's relationship, have evolved over the series. Parents should be aware that while the official rating is PG-13, the intensity of violence, language, and scary content, combined with the strong implied romantic themes between the protagonists, may make it more suitable for older teenagers or young adults.
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